I'm a Libertarian living in Humboldt County, CA. I've lived here in Eureka since 1973 and joined the Libertarian Party in 1992. This blog will mostly focus on local political issues, but I may stray into state and national issues as well, when I can't help myself. Please post your comments by clicking on the "comments" link at the bottom of each post. Although I do moderate comments, you need not be a registered user to post them.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Who'll Protest The New Power Plant?

The issue of a replacement for the aging Humboldt Bay Power Plant comes up again. One question I have is who's going to protest the construction when it begins? You just know someone or some group is going to come up with some reason it shouldn't be built. That's what happens everywhere in the state, whenever a new power plant is proposed. Any best guesses?

14 Comments:

Ok. There's the first one. That's not quite the same as writing a letter to the editor or, better yet, making up a sign and protesting in front of HBPP or the County Courthouse. That's a start, though.

The new plants, along with no longer needing to suck water out of the bay, heating it up, then puttin' it back (think fish larva), will be about 40% more efficient. And will dramatically reduce the amount of 'stuff' heading "up the stack"....

From my own experience, having worked at the Humboldt Bay Power Plant for 8 1/2 years as a security guard, even the contractors PG&E hires are paid quite well.

In fact, the security guards were paid well, at least after a certain point. We worked for Burns Security. When I first started there we were making a buck or two over minimum wage, if memory serves me correct. Then, after a couple years, PG&E got tired of the high turnover with security guards, it made them look bad with the NRC, HBPP being a nuclear facility.

So, I came back from annual training with the National Guard one year and the turnover had been so high in just a couple of weeks, it boosted me way up in seniority. Not long after that, our pay was raised to $10 an hour. Quite good pay at the time. We still ended up with a fairly high turnover; more than you'd think you'd have for that kind of pay.

Nevertheless, the writing was on the wall as we were in the process of decomissioning. Eventually the layoffs came. I was just high enough in seniority I could have stayed on as the relief guard, but chose to move on. Those that ended up staying were finally moved in house a few years ago and work for PG&E now. They make $20 an hour plus benefits now.

I do not believe that is true, but if it is, it is no wonder we can't get any power plants built here (CA). The unions must have put that in their master agreement with P G & E (No non-union subs, or the subs must pay 'prevailing wages'?) so they (and the ratepayers ultimately) will be paying 30% more for power plant construction to feather the nests a a few workers. That is great.